Dress-fitting model



(No Model.)

J. W. SEE.

' DRESS FITTING MODEL. No. 369,080.. Patented Aug. 30, 1887.

Witnesses I Inventor Wm kww UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES IV. SEE, OFHAMILTON, OHIO.

DRESS-FITTING MODEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 369,080, dated August 30, 1887.

Application filed July ll, [887. Serial 170,243,924.

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES NV. SEE, of Hamilton, Butler county, Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fitting- Models, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to a device which I have termed a fitting-model, adapted to serve in the work of fitting coverings to spherical or irregular surfaces, as illustrated, for instance, in fitting a dress to the person.

The usual method of dress-making is to make the dress and then try it on and see if it fits, and if it does not, to then make the proper alterations. The trying on may of course be done upon the person whom the dence is ever placed inthe patterns, and the trying-on process is finally employedto determine whet-her or not the patterns are correct.

In the drafting of dress-patterns the usual method is to make measurements and lay these Ineasurementsdown upon paper and develop the lines therefrom. As before stated, pattern-drafting may be looked upon as simply the experimental step in dress-fitting.

My improvements will be readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fitting model illustrating my improvements, the model in this case being intended for dressfitting purposes; Fig. 2, a horizontal section of the same transverse to one of the tuckinggrooves; Fig. 3, a similar horizontal section, exhibiting a modified form of tucking-groove; and Fig. 4., a perspective view of a portion of a fitting-model, illustrating my improvements when the same are to be incorporated into what I will term the jacket system.

(No model.)

In the drawings, A indicates the body or part of the body to which a dress is to be made to fit, the same being formed of papiermache', or of properly-covered wire-work, or it may be the human or other body covered with some suitable material; 13, tuckinggrooves in such body reaching inwardly from the outer surface thereof and having locations and directions corresponding to the intended seam'lines of the garments to be fitted; C, a piece of goods placed upon the fitting-model and held in-place by having its edges tucked into the grooves referred to, the tucking being effected by any blade-like instrument; D in Fig. 4, the covering of the body A or a portion of the same, where it is intended that provision shall be made for alteration in the size of the model, this covering being in the form ofajacket of thick material, and E lacing by which this jacket is held in place.

It is preferable that the dress-fitter have a dummy model, such as is illustrated in Fig. 1, of the exact dimension and form of the person to be fitted. The model should be provided with as much of the arms, neck, 850., as is to be fitted. The tucking-grooves B should be located wherever seams are to come in the garments. These tucking-grooves may be variously disposed, so as to represent the seamlines of different-kinds of garments, it being desirable that whatever manner of seam-fitting is chosen for the garment to be fitted tuckinggrooves corresponding to such seams may be found in the model. The tucking grooves should be about one-sixteenth of an inch wide and preferably less than one-quarter of an inch deep. The dress-fitter, being provided with such a grooved model, may hang a piece of paper against the model and then, with a blade -]ike instrument, like a papercutting knife, for instance, press the paper into the top of one of the tucking-grooves and pass the tucking-instrument downward to the bottom or rear to the other end of that groove. The paper thus tucked into the groove will be held against the model by such tucking. In a similar manner, all of the tucking-grooves forming the outlines to the particular garment piece in hand are to be followed. The piece of paper may then be stripped from the model, and it will, be found to have taken sharplydefined creases, representing the corner where IOC I so far as appearance goes one would judge that the model was clothed in a regularlythe sewing is to be done.

the goods turned over the surface of the model down into the groove, and representing, also, the bottom of the groove. If this piece of paper be cut to the firstmentioned creasing, it will form a paper pattern of absolutely corroot form to fit the proper place on the fittingmodel. There can be no mistake about the correctness of this pattern and no skill is re quired in its production. Thus it will be seen that my improved fitting model furnishes means for securing in a simple and rapid than nerdress-pattcrns absolutely correct in shape. The dress-maker, cutting her goods to such patterns and sewing the goods properly together, should secure perfectly-fitting garments; but I much prefer to employ the fit ting-model for other purposes than mere patterndrawing, so to speak. The proper patterns may be made, and, in fact, it is always well to do so, but it is well to cut them at such a distance from their crcasings as to leave proper seaming material upon the goods. In other words, goods cut from the patterns will be of proper size to be sewed together in the usual way. Alter the goods are cut out the dresslitter is to take one of the pieces and apply it to the fitting-model by placing it over the model in proper position and tucking the edges into the tucking-grooves. A portion of the surface of the fittingmodel thus becomes clothed with the goods. The same process is repeated with the other pieces of goods until finally the entire fitting-model is completely clothed. W'hen the model is thus clothed, every scum -line will appear, and

sewed garment, while in fact all of the pieces of goods are held in' position by the mere tucking in the grooves. When the model is thus clothed the dressfitter takes a piece of French chalk and draws it edgewise along each of the groove-lines, thus producing fine chalk-lines near the edges of all the pieces of goods, and representing the exactlincs where A few transverse marks should be made at each of the seamgrooves to indicate the endwisc adjustment of the pieces in sewing the seams. The goods may be new stripped from the model. and it. will be found that each piece presents near its edge a fine chalk-mark representing the precise position for seam-sewing, together with cross-marks for end adjustment ofseams. The pieces are then to be sewed together in the usual manner, and there need be no anxiety about the fit. V The garment need not be tried upon the model again.

The most preferable construction of the model is one formed with a papienmachc surface molded to the exact form of the individual whose dresses are to be fitted by this means. The tucking-grooves may be cut into the papier-mache, or they maybe formed of channel-shaped metallic strips molded into the paper while the model is being made. Instead of the deep groove illustrated in Fig.2, an under tucking-groove may be formed by edges of sheet metal presenting themselves, as indicated in Fig. 3..

The model may be formed of a wire frame properly covered and properly shaped, the covering being provided, of course, with tucking-grooves referred to. Models of th s form permit of change in form when desired by the simple process of padding under the covering. in some cases it may be preferable to make the model in the form of a jacket, which may be put on the person like a corset or other garment. In such case the material of thejacket should be thick enough to receive the tucking grooves, and the jacket should be preferably arranged to be laced up, as indicated in Fig. 4, so thatwhen the jacket-like fitting-model is put upon the person it maybe padded out to the dimensions desired. Fig. 4 represents a portion of the sleeve part of such a jacket-model.

It isof course to be understood that where the person of the individual to be fitted is used asa partofthe fitting-model a second person is needed to adjust the pieces of goods upon the model and to tuck the edges in, the. Where a dummy is employed, the second person is of course not needed.

I claim as my invention- 1. A 'litting-model consisting ofa form provided with tucking-grooves at the seam-lines, constructed and arranged for use substantially as set forth.

2. A fitting-model consisting of a jacket form provided with tucking-grooves at the seanrlines and with lacings or equivalent for adjustment, constructed and arranged for use substantially as set forth.

JAMES W. Yitnesses:

W. A. Snwixnn, L. O. OvnRrUK.

ICC 

